To Make a Difference
by MarauderPurple24387
Summary: Hermione disappears and finds herself in the past with the Marauders. Together they must read 7 books. Along the way more characters will be added.
1. Bloody Hell

_I know there are a lot of stories like this out there, so please just give it a chance._

_Everything in bold belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me. All of it is J.K. Rowlings. If I mess up and forget to bold something and you recongize it, it's J.K. Rowling's_

* * *

Hermione was sitting with Ron and Harry in Grimmauld Place just talking. Something they hadn't been able to do since the defeat of the Voldemort. From press confrences to pointless Ministry meetings, they had had precious little time to just sit and talk to each other. Now that they had time, though, it wasn't the same. Harry was still blaming himself for all the losses they had had in the Final Battle and Ron wouldn't stop playing with her hair. Something she found sweet, but utterly annoying.

"Harry? Hello. Earth to Harry," said Ron. He was trying to make things better, but Hermione could see it wasn't helping. Harry looked up, his eyes still blank and expressionless. He was to young and caring to have to go through this, but he had to anyway.

"Harry, its not your fault," she said, getting up and kneeling beside him putting her hand on his. She desperatly tried to convey to him that everything was going to be all right, that life would go on, and that no one blamed him. He didn't get the message. He stood up and walked away, not saying a word.

She sat on the floor and then turned to Ron with tears in her eyes.

"Aww, Hermione," he said, getting up to wrap his arms around her and give her a shoulder to cry on. They sat there on the floor for what seemed like hours until Hermione finally found her voice.

"I t-thought everyt-t-thing was g-g-going to b-be better," she said still trying to control herself," I thought w-when V-V-Voldermort died w-we would b-be ok."

"Hermione, everything is going ot be ok. Just give it some time," he said in a soothing voice.

She nodded and then stood up when all of the sudden a blinding white light hit her and then she vanished.

"HERMIONE!" yelled Ron frantically. Realizing that was no good, he took a different approach. "HARRY!" he screamed and ran out of the room in search of his friend.

* * *

James, Sirius and Remus sat in the Room of Requirement shoving their faces with delicious food they had just nicked from the kitchens and enjoying their endless supply of butterbeers, thanks to the Hogwarts house-elf population.

It was the Christmas holiday, so most of the students had gone home leaving the three of them the only Gryffindors. Peter's mother was ill, so he had gone home to help. Sirius stayed wherever James was and Remus never went home for holidays, so they now entertained themselves with ideas for new pranks to pull on their enemy.

"So what are we going to do to Snivellus?" asked Sirius giddy to come up with a plan.

"Will you guys at least leave Snape alone over Christmas," said Remus, his nose in a book

"Why?" asked James," he's a git."

Remus closed his book and looked at James.

"You know, when you told Lily you were going to leave Snape alone I thought you actually meant it," he said staring at James accusingly. The boy in question had enough decency to look ashamed while Sirius had no problem voicing his opinion.

"Well that's no fun," he said,"Snivellus deserves it."

"By doing what," replied Remus, "existing?"

"Ya and..." started Sirius, but he never go to finish because a blinding white light filled the room and then a beautiful brunette woman stood in front of the Marauders.

When she looked up, she said the most intelligent thing she could think of.

"Bloody Hell"


	2. The Boy Who Lived

_I am not sure which characters to add, so I would love your feedback on who you want to see in the story. Thanks so much for taking the time to read! Please Review!_

* * *

"Who are you?" asked Sirius who found himself staring at the odd beauty. She just looked at him with wide eyes and managed a slight "umm".She slowly walked over to one of the couches, sat down, and then looked up at them.

"I'm..." she started, but a book fell out of the sky and hit James on the head.

"Oww, where did this bloody thing come from," he said clutching not only the book, but his now very sore head.

The girl looked at the front cover and gasped at what she saw: **Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.**

"This is either really good or really bad," she said now pacing the floor in front of the three very confused boys who could see the gears moving in her head.

"What are you talking about," said James who just now looked at the cover of the book. Sirius and Remus moved closer to see it.

"Who's Harry Potter," said Sirius, "Is he a relative of yours Prongs?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. Why don't you ask her? She triggered all the weirdness," he said bitterly rubbing his still aching head.

"Don't blame me," she said defensively," I don't know what the heck is going on!"

"Calm down, love," said Sirius winking at his friends. No woman could ever resist when Sirius started his smooth talking, except for this one.

"Will someone get the womanizer to shut up!" she half yelled half cried in exasperation. Of course, after that comment no one needed to shut the said womanizer up as his mouth dropped to the floor and all those in the room could feel his wounded pride.

Just then a note fell from the sky and landed on the book.

_Dear Marauders and Miss Granger,_

_ You are together for the sole purpose of reading 7 books. What is contained in them will help you to change and better the future. A few people will be joining you later on through the reading. You may not like them, but if you hurt them in anyway you will not like the consequences._

_ Sincerely,_

_ A Friend_

"Well I guess we should start reading," said the girl now known as Miss Granger.

"Wait a minute, we still don't know you're name," said Sirius looking at Miss Granger. His pride was still hurt. He wanted to know what kind of a girl would turn him down and insult him all in one go. It intrigued him.

"Hermione, but my friends call me Mione," she said quickly and then Remus picked up the book and started to read not wanting Sirius to ask anymore questions which could lead to his pride getting hurt again. Hermione was thankful, as she didn't want anyone to know from where she came.

**The Boy Who Lived **

"Hmm, I wonder what that means," said James sitting on the couch next to Sirius.

** Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

"Well, that's no fun," said Sirius.

** They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. **

"What are drills?" asked James.

"They are machines muggles use to put holes in things like wood and such," said Remus. James nodded in understanding before Remus continued reading.

** He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache.**

"Well, that's attractive," said Sirius chuckling to himself. Hermione snorted and motioned for Remus to keep reading.

** Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on her neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

"Yeah right," said Hermione.

** The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. **

"Hey, why would anyone not want to know the Potters?" asked James, glaring at the book, "We are amazing."

"Yeah, the Potters are awesome," agreed Sirius, who was also glaring at the book.

"Remus, please keep reading," said Hermione, ignoring the two whining 17 year olds.

** Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband **

"Hey, James is not good-for-nothing," said Sirius angrily.

"Thanks Sirius," said James clapping his friend on the back, "Its good to know you care so much!" He said this all while wiping fake tears from his eyes.

"Well, you're not good-for-nothing," said Sirius who was still glaring at the book obviously not getting the joke. That surprised Hermione as he was always the first to get a joke or tell one when she knew him.

"Will you two just shut up, so I can read," said Remus," or I'm gonna have to put a silencing charm on you" He glared at them and they shrunk into their chairs. They didn't like to admit it, but sometimes they were afraid of their friend.

"Sorry Moony," they chorused as though they had said it many times.

"We'll be good," added Sirius.

Hermione watched with a sad smile.

**were as unDursleyish **

"Not a word," said Hermione and Remus.

**as is was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. **

Hermione growled.

** This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

This time everyone growled.

** When Mr. And Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

"Brat," said Hermione under breath along with a few choice swear words.

** None on them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

"Really, none of them noticed?" asked James.

** At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek. And tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed. Because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Durlsey as he left the house. **

"So he's encouraging that behavior?" asked Hermione. She knew that Vernon  
Dursley was a horrible person, but to encourage temper tantrums was beyond belief.

"I guess he is," said Remus looking thoughtfully at the book and then continuing to read.

**He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

** It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat reading a map.**

"I bet you it's Minnie," said Sirius matter-of-factly.

"No way, what would she be doing there?" asked James.

"Wait, you call McGonagall, Minnie," said Hermione looking at them is surprise, "and you're still alive."

"Yep," said Sirius proudly. Hermione could only smile at his childish ways.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen – then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive – no looking at the sign; cats couldn't read or signs.**

"Yep, definitely Minnie," said Sirius

"Fine, whatever," said James silently laughing at his friend.

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

"Wow, one track mind," said James

** But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he say in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dress people about. People in cloaks. **

"What's so weird about cloaks?" asked James clearly not understanding what the big deal was.

"Muggles don't wear cloaks," said Sirius, which surprised everyone. "What? I paid attention in Muggle studies."

"Who are you and what have you done with Padfoot?" said Remus.

"Geez you people have no faith at all, do you? " he asked.

"Well, its not exactly unheard of for you to not know anything about a class you have been taking for four months," said Remus.

"Shut up," said Sirius,"Keep reading."

Remus chuckled at his friend and then turned back to the book.

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes – the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. **

"I wonder whats happened," said Remus, "it must be something big if they're so blatantly ignoring the Statue of Secrecy."

"It is," said Hermione looking quite sad.

Remus noticed, but didn't push it obviously seeing that whatever it was had hurt her. He also knew that he was bound to find out soon enough.

** Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing and emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting for something. . . **

"Muggles will do anything to not notice us," said James.

**yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr, Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

** Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office an the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped over-head. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. **

"Why wouldn't they ever see owls?" asked James obviously confused.

"Muggles don't use owls," explained Hermione

"Oh," said James smiling sheepishly. He looked a litter embarrassed that everyone seemed to know that, except for him.

**Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important phone calls and shouted a bit more. **

"Likes yelling, doesn't he," said Sirius.

**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk**

"He's actually going to walk," said Hermione in disbelief.

Sirius and James burst out laughing.

"That was a good one," said Sirius between breaths as he tried to calm down. This girl was amazing, but something about her put him on his guard. The way she kept fingering her wand or looking around made him wonder where she came from and what she was doing with them.

**across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery. **

"Ahhh," said Hermione now understanding why he was walking.

** He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but hey made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

** "The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard - "**

** " - yes, their son, Harry - "**

"What about us?" asked James looking very worried.

"I'm sure nothing bad happened, Prongs," said Sirius comforting his friend. Hermione smiled sadly at the pair.

** Mr. Dursley stopped dead. **

"YAY!" said Sirius.

"It's an expression," said Hermione surprised at Sirius' obvious stupidity.

"Awww," he whined.

**Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

** He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, **

"What's a fellyphone?" asked James.

"It's telephone and its a machine Muggles use to talk to each other from different places," explained Hermione.

"Like the Floo," said Remus.

"Oh," said James, "I think I get it."

**and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking . . . no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. **

"Awful man," said Hermione along with a few choice swear words to describe Vernon Dursley.

**He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold.**

"Awww, but those are horrible names," complained Sirius.

**There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her – if he'd had a sister like that . . .**

"Such a nice man," snorted James.

**but all the same, those people in cloaks . . .**

** He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

"Told you he was nice," said James sarcastically.

** "Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passerby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

"He's gone," said James smiling. Before anyone knew what was going on, James and Sirius were on the couch dancing to a chant of "He's gone! He's gone! He's gone!"

Hermione looked at their youthful faces and realized that they all looked happy. She had never truly seen Remus and Sirius happy. They would put on a smile, but there was also fear in their eyes.

After about ten minutes, everyone was calmed down enough for Remus to continue reading.

** And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

"Wait, he actually got his arms around him?" asked Hermione in disbelief.

** Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things,**

"Ahh, it's the end of the world!" said James.

**which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

"Never mind." said James, "Back to normal."

Everyone laughed.

** As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw – and it didn't improve his mood – was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

** "Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

"Not going to work," said Sirius smirking.

** The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? **

"For Minnie, it is!" sang Sirius.

"We know," chanted the rest of them.

**Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

** Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!").**

"And they are happy about that?" asked James disgusted by the horrid child.

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went to into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

** "And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sighting of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. **

"Wait, why was he grinning," said Sirius.

"Probably a wizard," explained Hermione happy that he had caught that detail.

"**Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

** "Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early – it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

** Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters . . . **

"Wow he's using his brain," exclaimed Hermione, "I never thought I'd see the day!"

** Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er – Petunia, dear – you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

** As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

"That's awful," said Hermione. Everyone quietly agreed with her.

** "Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls . . . shooting stars . . . and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today . . . "**

** "So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

** "Well, I just thought . . . maybe . . . it was something to do with . . . you know . . . her crowd."**

"What's that supposed to mean?" yelled James at the book.

"Witches and wizards," said Hermione.

"I know that, but why is he referring to them as weirdos?" he asked

"He's not a fan," she replied darkly.

** Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard he name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son – he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

** "I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

** "What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

** "Harry. Nasty common name, if you ask me."**

** "Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

** He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

** Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did . . . if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

** The Dursleys got into bed. **

"Gross!" started Sirius, "Mental images I didn't need," He clutched his head as if trying to squeeze them out.

"Sirius, you butt-head!" exclaimed Hermione throwing a hard pillow at his head. She could tell that she found her target when he let out a groan.

**Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind. . . . He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on – he yawned and turned over – it couldn't affect them. . . . **

"I wish," muttered Hermione. Only Remus with his sensitive hearing could here her and he looked up at her curiously before he continued.

** How very wrong he was.**

** Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before that cat moved at all.**

** A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground.**

"Apparated," said Sirius.

"WE KNOW," yelled everyone else.

**The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

** Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

"Whoo, go Dumbledore," said Sirius. Hermione rolled her eyes. She didn't like Dumbledore now, not after the things she had discovered about his past and motives.

** Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

** He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. **

"I want one," whined Sirius.

"Get over it," said Hermione.

**He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer,**

"Wonderful name," snorted Hermione.

**until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it. **

** "Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"Told you!" shouted Sirius who was now looking very smug.

"Padfoot, no one disagreed with you," said Hermione. She didn't realize just how much of an affect that would have on the Marauders.

"How do you know about that name?" asked Sirius staring at her curiously.

"Oh," said Hermione, she was determined not to tell them she was from the future until the book did, "I heard James call you that, so I just assumed it was your nickname."

"Okay," said Sirius not convinced, but he motioned for Remus to keep reading. He shot a uncertain glance at Hermione.

** He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

** "How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

"Who didn't?" asked James.

"Oh, no! Prongs is talking to books!" said Sirius who looked up to the sky as if the apocalypse was coming.

"Shut up," said James hitting Sirius with a well-aimed pillow. Sirius now had a collection of pillows.

** "My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

** "You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall. **

** "All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

** Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

** "Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls . . . shooting stars . . . Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

"Hey isn't he that dunderhead a couple years below us?" asked James looking up at Remus.

"Yeah, I think so," said Remus

** "You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"Eleven years," said Sirius who screwed up his face as if he were using an unusually large amount of brain power. "That means only 4 more years!"

Hermione looked sad. These poor people had known nothing but war. They would die without experiencing life without danger at every turn. It was so sad.

** "I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

** She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found our about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

** "It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

"A what?" asked James

** "A_ what_?" **

James stared at the book.

"Hahahahaha, you think like Minnie," said Sirius clutching his stomach and falling to the floor where he rolled around laughing.

** "A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

** "No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who_ has _gone -"**

** "My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: _Voldemort._" Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

Hermione snorted. "Yeah and that's not even his name," she said.

"What do you mean it's not his name?" asked James narrowing his eyes at her.

"Never mind," she said hurriedly. _Crap,_ she thought._ I can't keep slipping up._

** "I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, _Voldemort_ was frightened of."**

** "You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

"Because he's too noble to use them," said Sirius.

** "Only because you're too – well – _noble_ to use them."**

James doubled over with laughter. "You think like Minnie too!"

"Shut it," said Sirius darkly obviously not amused.

** "It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"Ewww," said Sirius.

"Ughh," said Hermione, "there's nothing going on and you know it!" She glared at him and he sunk back into the chair.

** Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

"No, I don't!" said Sirius.

"Well, if you shut it and let me read, you might find out." said Remus annoyed.

"Sorry, I'm shutting up."

"You better be!"

** It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. **

"That's got to be scary," said Sirius

"SHUT UP!" yelled everyone in the room. Sirius visibly flinched at the raised voices and sunk deeper into the chair.

**It was plain the whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

** "What they're _saying_ ," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – _dead_."**

James face had turned a ghostly white.

"NOOOO," shouted Remus and Sirius who were now standing ready to defend their friend.

Hermione looked at James who now started to smile._What on earth is making him smile? Is it normal to smile when you find out you are going to die? _

His friends seemed to notice this too as they stopped yelling and looked at him in silence.

"Are you okay?" asked Remus

"Did that just say what I think it said," he said absolutely beaming.

"What are you talking about," said Sirius

"Lily," said Remus who was also now smiling, "Good job mate." He clapped his friend on the back. Sirius, realizing what was going on, took the book from Remus and read the sentence.

"It's a bloody miracle," he said, "I guess Remus' matchmaking skills are actually pretty good."

The boys laughed and Hermione couldn't help but join in. They were really quite funny and it seemed like the things she heard about their loyalty and friendship were quite true. It reminded her of herself, Ron and Harry.

** Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

** "Lily and James . . . I can't believe it . . . I didn't want to believe it . . . Oh, Albus . . ."**

"We are going to change what happens," said Sirius. He was not about to let his best friend die.

** Dumbledore reached out and patted fer on the shoulder. "I know . . . I know . . ." he said heavily.**

** Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. **

"Well, its good to know that she did care about us," said James.

"She shouldn't after all the misbehaving and pranks you two have pulled in that class," said Remus shaking his head.

"**That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. **

"Stay away from my son, you bastard!" growled James menacingly. The other two Marauders nodded in agreement.

**But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone."**

"Your kid rocks, Prongs," said Sirius. James couldn't believe it.

"Ya, I wonder how he tried to kill him. It obviously wasn't the killing curse," said Remus. "No one survives the Avada Kedavra." James paled even more at that. He didn't want to think of all the horrible things Voldemort might have done to his son.

** Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

** "It's – it's _true?_" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done . . . all the people he's killed . . . he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding . . . of all the things to stop him . . . but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

** "We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

"And that means he knows," said Hermione bitterly. She didn't trust the old man anymore. She hated seeing how easily he had made everyone his little puppets.

** Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

** "Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me _why_ you're here, of all places?"**

** "I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

"NO! HE IS NOT GOING TO LIVE THERE!" yelled James at the book.

"Yeah, where the bloody hell am I?" asked Sirius. "He can live with me." He said to James who nodded at the suggestion.

Hermione was now finding it extremely hard not to cry. They were so innocent and their lives were about to be destroyed by a person who they thought was their friend.

** "You don't mean – you**_** can't**_** meant the people who live**_** here?**_**" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore – you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

"Yeah, you tell him Minnie!" said Sirius punching the air.

** "It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

"A letter," shouted James. "You can't explain all that in a flippin' letter!"

** "A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future – there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!"**

"When we finish with the books," started James, "I am doing something very nice for Professor McGonagall."

** "Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

"He does have a point," said Remus. "If he's anything like James it will all go to his head."

"Hey!" said James

"Well, it's true," said Remus.

** Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes – yes you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

"He better not," growled James

** "Hagrid's bringing him."**

** "You think it – wise – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Hermione quite seriously.

** "I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

Hermione was not at all happy about saying something that Dumbledore had.

** A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"I want one! I want one!" chanted Sirius.

"Shut up, already," said Hermione.

"Fine," he mumbled.

** If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"Why blankets?" asked Sirius.

"It's Harry, you Dunderhead," said Hermione throwing yet another pillow at the young Black's head.

** "Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

** "Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

"Yes!" said Sirius punching the air.

Hermione put her head in her palms and Remus and James laughed at their overly excited friend.

** "No problems, were there?"**

** "No, sir – house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

"Awww," cooed Hermione.

"Women," muttered Sirius making James laugh. Sirius however decided to keep quite when he saw Hermione giving him a death glare.

** Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair **

"He's got the Potter hair," said James, "Poor kid."

**over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

The mood in the room instantly became serious and tense. No one talked or moved.

** "Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

** "Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

** "Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

** "Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. **

Every one in the room looked as if they could have gone their whole lives without knowing that and be perfectly fine.

**Well – give him here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with."**

** Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursley's house.**

** "Could I – could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

"That's offensive," said Sirius.

"No one cares," said James.

"That's offensive too," he huffed crossing his arms.

** "Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

** "S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles-"**

"I knew I liked Hagrid," said James with a sad smile.

** "Yes, yes, its all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter our of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulder's shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shown from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

"You know, that's kind of creepy," said Sirius.

"What?" asked Remus.

"A Dumbledore that doesn't twinkle," replied Sirius as if it were obvious. Remus shook his head and kept reading.

** "Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

** "Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

** Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

** "I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

** Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

"Poor Harry," whispered Hermione.

** "Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

** A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley. . . . **

"He better not touch my son," growled James protectively.

**He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!"**

"And that's the end of the chapter," said Remus. "Who wants to read the next one?"

"I will," said Hermione summoning the book to her.

** The Vanishing Glass**

* * *

_Once again, I am not sure which characters to add, so please tell me who you want to see in the story. Please Review and I will try to update in a couple days. Thanks!_


	3. The Vanishing Glass

_Gypsymooneysgirl7733: Yes I am planning on having some dating, but not for a while._

_LittleMe15: I am planning to do all 7 books and I was actually thinking of using all the characters you listed. I'm just afraid that if I write them I will mess them up, so we will see what happens._

_V. L. Crawford: Glad you like it and I hope you like where it goes as well._

_Now on to the story!_

* * *

"I will," said Hermione summoning the book to her.

**The Vanishing Glass**

"I wonder what that means?" asked James.

"Probably get to see some of Harry's accidental magic," explained Remus logically.

"Ooh, exciting!" said Sirius getting comfortable on the sofa, his head leaned forward in giddy anticipation.

** Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantel piece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets – but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too.**

"Yes, maybe he doesn't live there anymore," said Sirius hopefully. Wondering if perhaps he had come to take Harry away from the horrible Muggles.

** Yet Harry Potter was still there, **

"Dang it!" exclaimed Sirius.

**asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

"Well, that's pleasant," said Hermione pausing her reading for just a second.

** "Up! Get Up! Now!"**

** Harry woke with a start. His Aunt rapped on the door again.**

** "Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

"It's not a dream," said James with a sad smile.

** His aunt was back outside the door.**

** "Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

** "Nearly," said Harry.**

** "Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, **

"SHE'S MAKING HIM COOK," yelled James outraged, "He's only a boy for crying out loud."

"Calm down, Prongs," said Remus. James looked like he was about to explode.

**I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

"D-duddy," gasped Sirius turning red in the face and trying miserably not to laugh.

James, however, held nothing back and in a matter of seconds, both boys were on the floor laughing. Even Remus failed miserably to hold back a smile.

Hermione rolled her eyes and kept reading.

** Harry groaned.**

** "What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.**

** "Nothing, nothing . . ."**

** Dudley's birthday – how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them,**

Sirius shuddered.

**put them on. Harry was use to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.**

"WHAT!" roared James standing up and glaring menacingly at the book.

"It's okay, James," said Hermione, "Just calm down." She said this very slowly so that he wouldn't miss anything she was saying.

"It is not okay and I will not calm down," he said looking at her. He pointed to the book. "That . . . is child abuse!"

"Prongs," said Sirius cautiously. He knew not to meddle with James when he was in a temper. "We are going to change this. Don't worry."

James seemed to calm a little and eventually sat down and motioned to Hermione to continue reading. He sat glaring at the book when Hermione slowly began to read again.

** When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise – unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry, **

James growled, but didn't speak.

**but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.**

** Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. **

"Nope," said Sirius smiling, "It's Potter genes."

**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes. **

James smiled at this. He had gotten Lily's brilliant eyes. How he loved those eyes.

**He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the time Dudley had punched him on the nose. **

Everyone growled at this.

**The only thing Harry like about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightening. **

"Poor Harry," said Hermione thinking of her friend. It was really quite horrible what had happened to him and it seemed like every year his luck got worse.

Sirius looked over at her. She looked deep in thought and a small smile graced her lips. He really didn't know what to do about her. She was the first girl that hadn't been all over him when she saw him. He found it slightly unnerving.

**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it.**

** "In the car crash when your parents died," she had said. **

"Car crash," said Sirius. "She told him that you died in a CAR CRASH." He looked over at James who wore a scowl. It looked as if he was trying hard not to say some very offensive things.

** "And don't ask questions."**

"How is he supposed to learn anything if he can't ask questions?" said both Remus and Hermione. They looked at each other. For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence as Sirius and James looked at their friend and Hermione. Then they burst out laughing.

"It looks like Moony's found his match," said James between breaths as he was laughing so hard.

"Yup, someone that actually cares about learning as much as him," agreed Sirius.

"Shut it," they both said causing another wave of laughter.

Hermione waited for them to semi-calm down before she continued reading.

**_ Don't ask questions_ – that was the first rule for a quite life with the Dursleys.**

** Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.**

** "Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

"Not going to work," said Sirius in a sing-song voice.

** About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way – all over the place.**

"Yup, that's the Potter hair," said James smiling at the memories of his mother trying to get both his and his father's hair to lie flat, eventually giving up, as father and son laughed.

** Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel – Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.**

"Awww, Prongslet has a sense of humor," said Sirius lovingly.

"Prongslet?" asked James

"Yeah, he is a mini Prongs," explained Sirius, "hence, Prongslet!"

** Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell.**

** "Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

"Spoiled brat," said Hermione.

** "Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."**

** "All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.**

"Smart kid!" said Sirius.

"Who? Dudley?" asked James looking curiously at his friend.

"No, Harry, you stupid git," said Sirius lowering his head into his hands.

** Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll but you another _two_ presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin?_ Two_ more presents. It that all right?"**

"Geez, I don't even think the Malfoy's get that many presents," said James staring at the book.

** Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty . . . thirty . . ."**

"My Goodness," said Remus, "He can't even add." Everyone in the room seemed to be thinking the same thing.

** "Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

** "Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel "All right then."**

** Uncle Vernon chuckled.**

** "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.**

"Why is he encouraging that?" shouted Hermione appalled at the grown man's behavior.

"Ears," said Remus flinching at the noise that had just come from right next to him.

"Sorry," said Hermione blushing.

** At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.**

** "Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her had in Harry's direction.**

"Wait, aren't the Figgs an old squib family?" asked James.

"Yeah, real friendly with Dumbledore," said Remus wondering if it was the same people.

** Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. **

"Be nice, Harry," admonished Hermione.

"You realize you're talking to a book, right?" said Sirius. Hermione glared at him, but didn't say anything.

**The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.**

** "Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again.**

"Beautiful names," said Sirius wiping pretend tears off his face. He made it seem as though angels had given the cats those names.

** "We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

** "Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

** The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there – or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.**

"Yeah and you're almost as pretty as a slug," said Sirius in all siriusness.

** "What about what's-her-name, your friend – Yvonne?"**

** "On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**

** "You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe have a go on Dudley's computer).**

** Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.**

** "And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

** "I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening. **

"He _should_ blow up the house," said James darkly. Hermione was on the verge of arguing with him, but decided against it.

** "I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, " . . . and leave him in the car. . . . "**

** "That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone. . . . "**

** Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying – it had been years since he'd really cried – but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.**

** "Dinky Duddydums,**

Sirius began to cry because he was laughing so hard and James and Remus were on the verge of tears.

"These names just keep getting better," said James and the other two boys nodded still laughing.

**don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.**

"I almost feel bad for the kid," said Sirius

** "I . . . don't . . . want . . . . him . . . t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grim though the gap in his mother's arms. **

"Sympathy's gone!" he said.

** Just then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically – and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.**

"Can't cry in front of your friends, now can you?" asked Hermione.

"She's talking to a book again," whispered Sirius to James. He opened his mouth to say something else, but found that he couldn't. He looked up to see a glaring Hermione with her wand in out.

"Now shut up and be a good little do..boy and I will take the spell off!" She didn't come off as stern as she hoped because she was ruffled by almost saying doggie instead of boy. However, Sirius got the memo.

** Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life. His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

** "I'm warning you," he had said, pitting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy – and funny business, anything at all – and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**

"Didn't Dumbledore write them a letter?" asked James, "He wouldn't have forgotten to mention accidental magic."

"Yeah," agreed Hermione, "and if he did Petunia is Lily's sister, so she should know anyway.

** "I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly . . ."**

** But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.**

** The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Durleys he didn't make them happen.**

Sirius looked as if he wanted to say something, but Hermione still refused to take the silencing charm off of him.

** Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses. Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. **

"One of the Potter hair perks," said James proudly.

**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

** Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls). The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller is seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished.**

"Well," said Remus, "at least he wasn't punished."

James nodded in agreement.

** On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. **

"Wow, mate, your son apparated!" said Remus looking at James rather impressed.

**The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash vans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump.**

"My poor son," said James, "If only he knew . . ."

** But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room.**

Again Sirius looked as if he wanted to say something, but Hermione was relentless until Remus convinced her to take off the spell. Which she did, reluctantly.

"You have to be good!" she ordered. To which, Sirius nodded enthusiastically.

** While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

** " . . . roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.**

** "I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."**

"Bad move," said Remus.

"Yeah," agreed Hermione knowing that sometimes Harry lacked tact.

** Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his sear and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYLES DON'T FLY!"**

** Dudley and Piers sniggered.**

** "I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**

** But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or a cartoon – they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas.**

"What kind of dangerous ideas?" asked Sirius with a mysterious glint in his eye.

** It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, had bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. **

"I like that lady," said Sirius.

This earned him a pillow in the face from Hermione who was tired of him talking.

**It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking as they watched a gorilla scratching its who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

** Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first.**

"Well," said James sadly, "at least he got to finish the first one."

** Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.**

"Oh no," said Remus.

"Yeah," said Sirius, "I wonder what he's going to do." He had a mysterious glint in his eyes as he said this.

** After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. **

"Ewww, Slytherins," said Sirius mockingly.

"Hey," she said, "Slytherins aren't all as bad as you think!" She was still fresh from the war and it had made her forget the house divisions and start looking at the actual people she was judging.

Sirius wanted to argue, but she looked like if he tried she would kill him.

**Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can – but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

** Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

** "Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake didn't budge.**

** "Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake just snoozed on.**

** "This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

** Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had did of boredom itself – no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.**

"Wait, did he just compare himself to a snake," asked James, "and then say the snake had it worse?"

** The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's**

_** It winked.**_

** Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.**

"No, Harry why?" cried Sirius looking up at the Heavens as though the apocalypse had come. "Don't interact with snakes!"

** The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:**

_** "I get that all the time."**_

** "I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."**

"Is he talking to the snake?" asked James, who at this point was very concerned for his son.

Hermione nodded.

"He can't be?" asked Remus, realizing just what that entailed.

"Can't be what?" asked Sirius, completely out of the loop.

"A parslemouth!"

"My son is not a parslemouth," said James. "Over my dead body!" Hermione noted that that was exactly what happened but thought it best not to mention it as it would make James hurt a little more.

** The snake nodded vigorously.**

** "Where did you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.**

** The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.**

** Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

** "Was it nice there?"**

** The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see – so you've never been to Brazil?"**

"How is he just having a normal conversation? What is this?" asked James running his hands through his hair.

"No offense, Prongs, but that's not normal," said Sirius.

Hermione realized that she had easily let go of the fact that he was a parslemouth and it really didn't bother her anymore. Although, when she first found out she had freaked out.

** As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"**

** Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

"That is an insult to penguins," said Sirius in disgust.

Hermione started to laugh at this new Sirius, one she wasn't used to. The Sirius she knew would joke around occasionally, but his time in Azkaban had changed him. She found that she like this Sirius a lot more because he was so care-free and young.

** "Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened – one second Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.**

** Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.**

** As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come. . . . Thanksss, amigo."**

"Not natural, not natural, not natural . . ." chanted Sirius. This earned him yet another pillow in the face, but this time it came from James.

"We get it!" he said, "you don't need to remind me!"

"Sorry," muttered Sirius sheepishly.

** The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

** "But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"**

"That poor guy," said Hermione.

** The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"**

"Why, that little . . ." started Sirius. His lips kept moving, but no sound was coming out. He looked over at Hermione who had her wand out and a smug look on her face for the second time that day,

"Shut it," she said. The young Black glared at her, but closed his mouth. Remus and James just looked at each other communicating things about the pair that they noticed silently. Hermione began to read again and both boys looked at the book again a mysterious glint in their eyes.

** Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "go – cupboard – stay – no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.**

** Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

"Yeah, don't let your self starve," said James glad that his son had enough sense to get food.

** He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. **

"No way," said Remus turning a ghostly pale, "He can't have survived the Killing Curse. That's not possible."

The other two boys seemed to have the same reaction as Remus, but Hermione sported a well hidden smile.

**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

James looked on sadly and Hermione realized just how good of a father he was. He didn't even know his son and he already seemed to really care for him. It was tragic that Harry had never known him. A small tear escaped her eye, but she kept reading.

** When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family.**

"Where am I?" thought Sirius angrily as he still couldn't speak.

**Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. **

"I love wizards," thought Sirius silently laughing at them.

**The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look.**

"Apparated," chorused James.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

** At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated the odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"That's the end of the chapter," announced Hermione, yawning. Remus noticed.

"Let's read one more chapter before bed, ok?" asked Remus.

"Ya," said everybody, save Sirius who still couldn't speak.

"Hermione please let Sirius talk." coaxed Remus, "We can make him read the next chapter."

"Fine," she huffed and lifted the charm.

"Thank you," said Sirius shortly. "Hand me the book."

Hermione gave him the book and sat back in the couch ready to listen. Sirius cleared his throat.

**The Letters From No One**

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_Please Review! Thank you to those who have!_


	4. The Letters From No One

_CrazyChica17: Thank You and hopefully throughout the story it won't be too long in between updates._

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_Please review. I love the feedback!_

* * *

"That's the end of the chapter," announced Hermione, yawning. Remus noticed.

"Let's read one more chapter before bed, ok?" asked Remus.

"Ya," said everybody, save Sirius who still couldn't speak.

"Hermione please let Sirius talk." coaxed Remus, "We can make him read the next chapter."

"Fine," she huffed and lifted the charm.

"Thank you," said Sirius shortly. "Hand me the book."

Hermione gave him the book and sat back in the couch ready to listen. Sirius cleared his throat.

**The Letters From No One**

"Could it be," said James.

"I think it is," said Sirius.

"HOGWARTS!" they both yelled causing Remus and Hermione to flinch.

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started**

"Dudley's birthday better only be a week from the summer holidays," said James menacingly, but everyone in the room knew that it probably wasn't.

**and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches.**

**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. **

"Sound like someone we know, James?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah," he said. "Malfoy."

_Like father like son_, thought Hermione. Her mind replaying all the times Malfoy had terrorized them in school.

**The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting.**

James growled.

**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope.**

"Poor kid," said Remus shaking his head.

**When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley thought this was very funny.**

"Why is that funny?" asked Hermione, "I bet the school he is going to is horrid!"

"**They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

"**No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it – it might be sick." Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said.**

"He has the makings of a Marauder," said Sirius proudly.

"Really?" asked Hermione. "You would encourage him to get in trouble at school"

"Well, if its Marauder trouble," he said. "Then, yes!" He had a glint in his eye that Hermione didn't want to know about.

"Great," she huffed somewhat glad that Harry had not met him until he was in third year. He didn't need anymore trouble in his life.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.**

"Well," said James, "at least he got something." He was trying to be optimistic, but everyone could still see he was angry at the Dursleys for being horrid to his son.

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. **

"Wow," said Sirius, rereading the sentence to himself. "Just wow."

"Can you just keep reading," said Hermione. The sooner she got away from them to clear her head the better.

**They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.**

"How is that good training for later life?" asked Hermione.

Sirius looked at her in all seriousness. "Will you shut up, so I can read."

Hermione sighed in exasperation. "Are you serious?" she asked, instantly regretting it. Even his older self always made jokes about his name.

"Why yes," he said, "I am!" His face broke into a wide smile as he continued reading. Remus and James just watched the exchange silently laughing to themselves.

**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins,**

"Ickle Dudleykins?" asked James in disbelief.

"Yup," said Sirius, "That's what it says."

Hermione couldn't help thinking about how Fred and George called Ron "Ickle Ronniekins." Although, a pang a sadness hit her as she thought about both of them alive and laughing together.

**he looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak.**

"Why?" asked James.

**He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh. **

"Oh," said James and laughing himself.

**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tun in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.**

"Ewww," said Sirius.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but silently agreed with him.

"**What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.**

"**Your new school uniform," she said.**

**Harry looked in the bowl again.**

"**Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

"Sarcasm isn't going to work," said Hermione.

"**Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."**

"Told you." she said.

**Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High – like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably**

"Well, that's an interesting look," said Sirius.

"It's not like he wanted it, though." said Remus.

"I never said he wanted it, did I?" asked Sirius obnoxiously, on purpose.

"Whatever," replied Remus as he yawned.

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.**

"Spoiled . . ." mumbled James along with some other things that no one could make out.

**They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.**

"HOGWARTS!" shouted Sirius. Everyone was silent for a while.

Then Hermione said, "Ow!"

"Well, Hogwarts is exciting!" he replied enthusiastically.

"Ya, I know, but you don't need to yell."

"Ahh, but I do," he replied and continued reading before Hermione could think of a retort.

"**Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

"Wow, he asked Dudley to do something." said James.

"**Make Harry get it."**

"**Get the mail, Harry."**

"Never-mind," said James as though it should have been obvious.

"**Make Dudley get it."**

"**Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."**

"Hey, not fair," said James to the book.

"Prongs is losing it," said Sirius to Remus. "He's talking to books."

Remus rolled his eyes, but laughed.

**Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and –**_** a letter for Harry.**_

"Woohoo," sang Sirius punching the air.

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would? He had no friends, no other relatives – **

Sirius didn't say anything, but he was getting worried. Where was he?

**he didn't belong to the library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**

_**Mr. H Potter**_

_**The Cupboard under the Stairs**_

_**4 Privet Drive**_

_**Little Whinging**_

_**Surrey**_

"How do they know where you sleep?" asked Sirius.

"They use a quick quill," explained Remus. "Its an extra assurance that they won't get anything wrong.

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.**

**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter **_**H.**_

"Its Hogwarts! Its Hogwarts! Its Hogwarts!" sang Sirius.

"We know, Padfoot," said James who was now rather annoyed.

"**Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**

"Well that was a horrible joke," said Sirius.

Everyone agreed.

**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.**

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard.**

"**Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk . . ." **

"**Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"**

"Tattle-tell," said James.

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.**

James looked both sad and overly angry that his son didn't get to read his letter.

"**That's **_**mine**_**!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.**

"Ya, you tell him!" said Sirius.

"Who's talking to books now," said Hermione slyly.

He didn't answer, but kept reading conveniently not hearing her comment.

"**Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge.**

"Just like your face when you accidentally spit out your pumpkin juice in front of Evans!" said Sirius laughing.

"That wasn't funny!" pouted James.

"On the contrary, it was actually quite funny," replied Sirius.

"Shut up and read," said James still pouting.

"**P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and make a choking noise.**

"Maybe she'll choke to death," said Sirius in glee.

The other two boys laughed at their friends' antics.

"**Vernon! Oh my goodness – Vernon!" **

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.**

"He hit his father with his Smelting stick?" asked Hermione in disbelief. Her parents were friendly all the time, but if she had tried something like that she couldn't even imagine what the would do to her.

"**I want to read that letter," he said loudly.**

"Why should he read it? Its not his!" said James raising his voice to a yell.

"_**I **_**want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's **_**mine**_**."**

"**Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.**

**Harry didn't move.**

"**I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted. **

"**Let **_**me**_** see it," demanded Dudley.**

"**OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their nicks and threw them into the hall, clamming the kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won, so Harry, his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor.**

"**Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address – how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?" **

"Yes," said Sirius sarcastically, "because we can find nothing that brings us greater joy!"

"**Watching – spying – might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

"**But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want -"**

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.**

"**No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer. . . . Yes, that's best . . . we won't do anything. . . . "**

"**But -"**

"**I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

"Dangerous?" fumed James.

"Well," said Hermione, "There is Voldemort."

That shut James up. He sat back his face a little paler than it was. Hermione knew that he was thinking about how he died.

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.**

"Wow, this story just keeps getting weirder and weirder," said Sirius who stopped reading, yet again.

"Can you just read, please?" asked Hermione almost begging. Almost.

"**Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing me?"**

"**No one. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it."**

"**It was **_**not **_**a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had my cupboard on it."**

"**SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.**

"Wow," said James. It seemed that was all that needed to be said.

"**Er – yes, Harry – about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking . . . you're really getting a bit big for it . . . we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom."**

"Why?" said Harry.

"Yeah, why?" asked Remus. His brows furrowed as he thought.

"**Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now."**

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms:**

"FOUR!" shouted James, "AND MY SON IS SLEEPING IN A FLIPPIN' CUPBOARD!"

"Whoa, James calm yourself," said Sirius to the red-faced, heavy breathing, ready-to-kill boy sitting on the couch next to him.

"Just keep reading," said Remus not willing to listen to another on of James' tempers. Hermione figured now would be a good time to use a silencing charm again. She wordlessly cast it. They didn't need James yelling again as it was late, she was tired, and they couldn't change anything written.

**one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. **

James opened his mouth and nothing came out, so he sat there having a soundless scene of rage. It was all Sirius could do not to laugh. Eventually pulling his eyes from the scene, he kept reading.

**It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room.**

Sirius didn't dare look at James knowing that this time he would laugh.

**He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been canceled; there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.**

"And that explains their stupidity," said Hermione calmly.

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't want him in there . . . I need that room . . . make him get out. . . ."**

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it.**

Hermione sighed, but she guessed that it was a good thing that Harry had gone through this. It made him the person he was, deeply caring and friendly. He really was an amazing person to turn out like he did after everything that had happened to him.

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back. **

"Wow," said Remus, "They didn't give in."

"It's a bloody miracle," breathed Sirius looking to the sky as if angels had intervened.

**Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall. **

"That definitely would have been smarter," said Remus.

"He lacks tact," said Hermione absentmindedly. Remus once again couldn't help noticing how she seemed to know more about everything than they did. And maybe? Just maybe? She might be from a different place, perhaps a different time? However, he wasn't sure and decided not to bring it up, just yet.

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly.**

**When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! 'Mr H Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive -' " **

"Apparently he lacks tact, as well," said Hermione, "No surprises there!"

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind.**

Hermione started laughing seemingly for no reason. Sirius glanced at Remus trying to figure out if he knew why she was laughing. He didn't, so the two boys just stared at each other. James, who at this point was feeling very left out decided to try and sign language to Remus to get the stupid silencing charm off of him. Remus got it, but he had to wait several minutes before he could get Hermione's attention.

"Hey, Hermione, you wouldn't mind taking the silencing charm off of James now?" he asked. Hermione did so while wiping tears from her eyes. She loved Harry. Of course, he would practice troll fighting on his Uncle Vernon. She knew that wasn't really what he was doing, but the irony made it even funnier.

**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand.**

"**Go to your cupboard – I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry. "Dudley – go – just go."**

**Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.**

"This is either gonna be good or very bad," said Sirius, reliving all his unsuccessful plans.

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.**

"Oh no, here he goes," said Sirius dreading what would come next.

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall toward the front door -**

"**AAAAARRRGH!"**

Sirius yelled the last part so loud that even James flinched and he was used to Sirius' random yelling.

**Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the door mat – something **_**alive!**_

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the big, squashy something had been his uncle's face.**

"Well, at least he got to step on his face," said Sirius satisfied with the compromise.

**Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time he got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.**

"**I want -" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes.**

"That's just cruel," said Hermione, her face wrinkled up in disgust.

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot.**

"**See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver them they'll just give up."**

"**I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."**

"Nope," sang Sirius.

"**Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.**

"Yes," said Hermione, "because we actually have brains."

The boys all started laughing.

"You know, you would be a good Marauder," said James, "the way you think."

Sirius looked as if he were about to be sick.

"No girls get to be Marauders . . ." he whined.

"Fine," said James lifting his hands in an "I surrender" pose.

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom.**

"Cool," said Sirius.

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**

"Wow, I didn't think he could get more crazy," breathed Hermione raising her eyebrows.

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.**

Remus started laughing.

"What?" said Hermione.

"They are just so weird," he said, "just weird."

"**Who on earth wants to talk to **_**you**_** this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.**

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.**

"**No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, "no damn letters today -"**

"You know," started Hermione, "I don't think the wizards will get the memo."

"Too true, too true," said Sirius smiling.

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. **

"Told you," said Hermione.

"Yup," said James, "We all agreed." Hermione's smile faded a little, but she still smiled. She was getting more comfortable around the young Marauders. A fact that made her happy and utterly terrified of the consequences.

**The Dursleys ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one -**

"Why didn't he just grab one of the floor?" asked James.

"He lacks tact," said everyone else in unison.

"**Out! OUT!"**

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall.**

"That better not have hurt him!" growled James.

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**

"**That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. **

"That's hot!" said Sirius.

Everyone looked at him with a mixture of humor, disgust, and disbelief. Of course, that just made Sirius laugh. It all cascaded and they all ended up laughing until their stomachs hurt and they had to calm down.

"**I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"**

**He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue.**

The reminder of the mustache caused another wave of laughter and it was a good fifteen minutes before the contagious laughter was finally cured.

**Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.**

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while.**

"**Shake 'em off . . . shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**

"He is so far gone that no one can help him," said James.

Everyone agreed.

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

"And welcome to Harry's life," said Hermione.

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering. . . .**

"About what?" asked Sirius.

"Probably his letter," explained Remus.

"Oh," said Sirius, "that makes sense."

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.**

" **'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."**

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**

_**Mr. H Potter**_

_**Room 17**_

_**Railview Hotel**_

_**Cokeworth**_

"Nice," said Sirius grinning and nodding in approval.

Hermione silently laughed at the boy.

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.**

"**I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.**

"**Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage. **

"Sheesh, they went everywhere," said Hermione in surprise.

"Yup, but what do you expect?" asked Sirius, "The guy's mental!"

That sentence reminded her of Ron. Someone she didn't miss as much as she thought she would.

"**Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon.**

"Wow, even the pig noticed," said James.

"That's when you know its really bad," said Sirius as if he were talking about a deadly disease.

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared.**

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley sniveled. **

"**It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a **_**television."**_

"Man, I've had enough of his complaining and I'm not even there!" said Hermione in exasperation.

**Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday – and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days of the week, because of television – then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday.**

"YAY!" shouted Sirius. "Happy Birthday, Prongslet!"

"Keep reading," ordered James chuckling.

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun – last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. **

"That is not how a kid should have to spend his birthday," said James.

Everyone silently nodded feeling very sorry for the poor kid.

**Still, you weren't eleven every day.**

_Yet, he still manages to be optimistic_, thought Hermione, _incredible!_

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**

"He did not buy what I think he did!" growled Hermione.

"I think he did," said Remus. Sirius and James just looked at each other, not knowing what the heck the two were talking about.

"**Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"**

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there.**

"**Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together, "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"**

The room went in silent in shock at just how crazy Uncle Vernon had become.

**`A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them.**

"Even the hobo knows they are gonna die!" shouted Sirius before reading again.

"**I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.**

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.**

**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas.**

"That is not rations," said Hermione in disgust at the horrible man.

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up.**

"Magic wouldn't be so bad now, would it?" asked Remus slyly and for the first time Hermione saw the Marauder glint in his eyes. She wondered just what he was thinking.

"**Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.**

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.**

"Poor kid," said Remus and Hermione wondered just how many times that had been said in the last three chapters.

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and make up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

"Its like they have no hearts," said Hermione. "How can they just let him be abused and not feel anything!"

"I don't know," said Remus sadly.

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering where the letter writer was now. **

"No child should have to be in this situation," said Sirius solemn and calm, something that rarely happened.

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did. **

"He wants the roof to fall in so he will be warmer?" asked James. His heart contracted. He would not let his son go through this.

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow.**

**Three minutes to go.**

"AHHH! Suspense!" screamed Sirius breaking the moment.

Hermione laid down on the couch and covered her head with a pillow.

**Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea?**

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds . . . twenty . . . ten . . . nine – maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him**

"Do it!" said James desperate for a prank to happen.

– **three . . . two . . . one . . .**

**BOOM.**

Sirius screamed and everyone jumped. That was not what they were expecting.

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

"That's the end of the chapter," said Sirius closing the book.

"Off to bed," said Remus raising an imaginary sword to the door as if he were going to charge it.

"G'night," said Hermione to the boys' retreating backs.

A variety of mumbled responses came back as the door shut and Hermione was alone.

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_Thank you for reading! Please review! I will be updating soon with a new twist to the story!_


	5. Nightmares

_Thank you for your reviews! I hope this chapter does not disappoint. Tell me what you think, please._

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Hermione sat in total silence for what seemed like hours. The door had just been shut and she didn't move a muscle. She simply stared and waited. After about twenty minutes, she decided it was safe. Standing up, she made her way to the door, opened it, and crept out.

She blindly walked around the castle for a while, simply enjoying the standing walls and security they brought. Finally, she decided to head up to the astronomy tower and let the cool wind clear her mind. She had close calls with Mrs. Norris and Peeves, but she made it undetected.

Instantly, she felt a chill run up and down her body when she stepped out into the open night air. The stars were bright and the lake shined in the moonlight. It was a breathtaking sight. She came up close to the edge and stared out over the forbidden forest, thinking of all the horrible secrets it held and how they had so easily turned against the school. Her mind wandered to Grawp and the corners of her lips turned up slightly. He had such an innocent soul. Many had until the War destroyed them. One bitter tear slid down her cheek as she thought of all the people who's lives had been destroyed in the War. Their lives had all been affected, if they had fought or not. Harry still blamed himself for the things that happened and they weren't even his fault. Why did this all have to happen? Why?

She thought angrily of Dumbledore, who instead of doing something for eleven years while Voldemort was gone, had just sat safely in his office and hid. Then easily tossed children who were only 17 into the flames. It just wasn't fair. By this time, she was completely sobbing. As she raised her hand to wipe her eyes, she heard a deep voice behind her.

"That's my spot you're in, you know."

* * *

Sirius jumped onto the closest couch to the fire in the Gryffindor common room. He couldn't get his mind of Hermione. The way her hair fell perfectly around her beautiful face with those gorgeous honey-brown eyes. He couldn't take it. He was proud to say he had never really loved any girl. Yeah, he had had some crushes, but it had never gone past that. With Hermione, well, she seemed different. He couldn't figure out how just yet, but he knew. He just knew.

"So," he said, "what do you guys think of Hermione?" The other two Marauders yawned and sat down in front of the fire.

"She seems cool," said James absentmindedly staring into the fire.

"Just cool?" asked Sirius.

"Why?" asked Remus, "Does somebody have a crush?" He smiled and looked at Sirius suggestively.

"No," denied Sirius, blushing just a little. "I just wondered what you guys thought of her."

"Yeah, right," drawled James who was also now looking a Sirius with a goofy grin.

"Guys," said Sirius. "I do not_ like_ Hermione!"

"Uh-huh," said Remus, "Sure." He started walking up the stairs to the boys dorm followed closely by James. Both had a strange twinkle in their eyes and for once Sirius didn't want to know what it was for, even though he had an idea.

He turned towards the fire and stared into it, thoughts on Hermione. How had she gotten here? Where was she from? Why was here? His thoughts circled round and round to the same questions. Never complaining, but wondering.

Eventually, he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. Thankfully, because if he hadn't, he would have thought of Hermione all night.

* * *

"That's my spot you're in, you know."

Hermione whipped her head around. At first she thought it was Sirius, but on closer inspection realized it wasn't. His hair was the same dark black as it fell around his face. His skin was pale and he was smaller than his brother. He had amazing dark brown eyes and Hermione sensed a bit of sadness behind them. He wore a long black cloak with a silver and green tie.

He walked over and stood next to her. Looking out over the same view Hermione had been staring at, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath enjoying the cool refreshing breeze. When he opened his eyes, he looked over at her. Despite the size difference between he and his brother, he was still slightly taller than Hermione.

"So, what brings you up here?" he asked, looking back out into the night sky.

At first, Hermione couldn't find her voice. Then slowly, she mumbled, "thoughts."

He chuckled sadly. "Thoughts," he said, "They plague us all, don't they."

"Yeah, I guess," replied Hermione, still not so sure about the situation. She knew he was a Death Eater or at least became one in the future because he wanted to. _Or was pressured_, said a tiny voice in the back of her mind, but she ignored it.

"I'm Regulus, by the way," he said holding out his hand for her to shake.

"Hermione," she said.

"I haven't seen you before," he stated, "Are you knew?"

"Uh, yeah," she replied, "I have to go."

And with that, she left the younger black alone staring after her. She ran down the stairs and back to the Room of Requirement. Quickly going in and shutting the door, she lied down on one of the longer couches.

That night she barely slept at all. Her nightmares never ceased. They started with Voldemort's red eyes glaring at her before they turned into Regulus' as he gave a haughty smile ready to join Voldemort. As quickly as he appeared, he turned into Bellatrix, who tortured her and laughed. Her screams turned into His as he was pulled beneath the dark water by life-less hands. As the water turned into blood, the hands turned into broken walls. Hogwarts was coming down around her and her friends were dying. She was the only one left.

She woke screaming several times as the same thing replayed in her mind. Slowly, the scenes of horror morphed into Regulus trying to escape a dark hole and Voldemort standing above laughing. She stood helpless as Voldemort murdered him then several others. Finally morning came and the tired Hermione, sat thinking of the coming adventure she would have.

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_Hope you like it! Thought it was time to introduce a new character, so you will be seeing more of Regulus._


	6. The Keeper of the Keys

**So Sorry that it took so long to update. I've been on vacation the past couple weeks and when I got back our power got turned off. I am sorry. I hope that that won't happen again. On to the story!**

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"Wake up, Sirius," said a distant voice which was quickly followed by much pushing and shoving to try and wake the dog up.

"Ughh," he groaned rolling of the coach and hitting the floor with a thump.

"Rise and shine!" said James obnoxiously. "Time to go meet the love of your life!"

Another groan came from the half-asleep boy now rolling around on the ground, trying to get away from the laughing teenagers.

"Get up! Get up! Get up!" chorused Remus and James loudly as they both ran around the common room.

"I'm up. I'm up!" said Sirius grumpily.

He went upstairs and threw on a shirt and some jeans before heading to the Room of Requirement with James and Remus.

* * *

Hermione sat up and put her head in her hands. She hadn't gotten any sleep last night and the memories of her nightmares were still fresh in her mind.

Suddenly the door opened and in walked the Marauders, minus Peter. Hermione was glad about that because she would be too tempted to strangle him on sight.

"Did you miss me?" asked Sirius cheekily.

Hermione put a look of absolute adoration on her face and said, "With every beat of my heart!"

"Not funny," said Sirius to the other two, now laughing, boys.

"Nope," said James, "pretty funny!"

"Whatever."

"Where's the book?" asked Remus.

"Over here," said James walking over, book in hand. He handed it to Remus.

"I guess I'll read," he said.

"Wait," said Sirius, "I am starving!"

"Pixie," said James to the air. A second later a young house-elf with giant blue orbs for eyes was bowing low in front of James.

"What does Master Potter need from Pixie, Sir?" she said in a high-pitched voice that only reminded Hermione of Dobby and Winky. She took a deep breath holding in the tears that came with remembering.

"Sirius is hungry. Could you please get him some food?" asked James.

"Anything for Master Potter's friend Master Black, Sir." She left with a pop and within a minute was back with a huge platter of food for Sirius.

"Thank you, Pixie," said James, "That is all."

Pixie nodded and then left with a faint pop.

"Love that elf!" exclaimed Sirius between mouthfuls of food.

Remus and James laughed. Hermione stayed silent. She figured it was best not to speak as she still had not completely abandoned her S.P.E.W. tendencies.

"Let's read this thing!" said James and Remus opened the book and began to read from where they left off.

**THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS**

**BOOM. They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake.**

**"Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.**

"Cannon?" asked James.

"Muggle weapon," explained Hermione briefly.

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands - now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.**

**"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you - I'm armed!"**

**There was a pause. Then – SMASH!**

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor. A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost ****completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.**

"HAGRID," screamed Sirius.

"He really does have an interesting way of describing things," said Hermione.

Remus agreed with a chuckle and continued reading.

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. **

"Just like Hagrid to fix the door," said Sirius, smiling**.**

**The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.**

**"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."**

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.**

**"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.**

"I knew I liked Hagrid," said James.

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.**

**"An' here's Harry!" said the giant.**

**Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.**

"Wow, that's kind of creepy," said Sirius.

At the same time James said, "Interesting explanation.

**"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yet dad, but yeh've got yet mom's eyes."**

James sighed while Sirius mimicked his lovesick expression.

Hermione and Remus laughed. James sent Sirius a glare.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.**

"**I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"**

**"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant; he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room. Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.**

**"Anyway - Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here - I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

"Not the cooking!" said Sirius, "Anything but the cooking!"

James hit his friend while Remus and Hermione rolled their eyes.

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing. **

"That was sweet," said Hermione.

"Women," muttered Sirius quite enough that only Remus heard. He smirked and kept reading.

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?"**

"So polite!" said Hermione. Everyone laughed.

**The giant chuckled.**

**"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.**

"He does tend to do that, doesn't he?" asked Remus remembering when he had first made the mistake of shaking Hagrid's hand.

**"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind." **

"Hagrid," said Hermione shaking her head at the friendly giant.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there.**

"I love magic!" said Sirius who had at this point finished his food and was now sprawled lazily over the couch.

**It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath. The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea. **

"How many pockets does his coat have?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know," said Sirius with a mysterious glint in his eyes, "We should find out."

Hermione put her head in her hands.

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."**

**The giant chuckled darkly.**

**"Yet great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry."**

Hermione snorted while everyone else laughed in agreement.

**He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, **

"Wow, he is really hungry," said Sirius.

James looked like he was ready to rage again, so Remus quickly resumed reading.

**but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."**

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.**

**"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts - yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.**

**"Er - no," said Harry.**

**Hagrid looked shocked.**

**"Sorry," Harry said quickly.**

"Don't apologize," admonished Hermione.

"Talking to a book again," said Sirius while twirling his finger around his ear so all could see.

Hermione glared daggers at him, but he just laughed. He had been on the receiving end of so many glares already. He was getting used to it.

**"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It' s them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yet parents learned it all?"**

**"All what?" asked Harry.**

"This isn't going to go well, is it?" asked Remus flinching as he saw the next line.

**"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"**

"Moony," whined Sirius, "you didn't read it right!"

"Oh well," sighed Remus smugly, causing Sirius to pout.

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.**

"Yay!" shouted James and Sirius, punching the air and then giving each other a high-five.

**"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy – this boy! - knows nothin' abou' - about ANYTHING?"**

_Harry's not going to like that,_ mused Hermione, as she thought fondly on her friend.

**Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad.**

_She knew him only too well_, she thought and smiled.

**"I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff." **

"Poor kid, doesn't get it does he?" said James sadly.

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."**

**"What world?"**

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

"Uh-oh," said Sirius, sporting a wolfish grin.

**"DURSLEY!" he boomed. Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." **

**Hagrid stared wildly at Harry. "But yeh must know about yet mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."**

"Yes, of course I'm famous," said James proudly sticking out his chest.

"Not as famous as me," said Sirius running a hand through his long, black hair.

"Hey the hair things mine!" whined James.

"Not anymore." sang Sirius.

"Ahem," said Remus, "It's me that's famous." And with that he stuck out his chest, ran a hand through his hair, and gave an award-winning smile.

After that hilarious display, Hermione couldn't hold it in anymore. She started laughing. All three Marauders gave her a hurt face which made her laugh even more, if that was possible.

"Just . . . keep . . . rea . . . ding . . ." she said in between breaths.

"See Remus you're just not incredibly sexy like me!" said Sirius, smiling at his buddy.

Remus rolled his eyes and then kept reading as Hermione's laughs were renewed and James joined in.

**"What? My - my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"**

**"Yeh don' know... yeh don' know..." Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.**

**"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally.**

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.**

**"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"**

Hermione snorted. Vernon really was stupid.

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.**

"Oh No!" said Sirius. "Angry Hagrid! Run away!" The look of fake panic on his face was priceless and laughter again rang through the room.

**"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"**

**"Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.**

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.**

**"Ah, go boil yet heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry - yer a wizard."**

"Well, that was kind of anti-climatic." said Remus.

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.**

**"- a what?" gasped Harry.**

**"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

"Yes, finally!" said Sirius throwing his hands up in the air.

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to:**

"Why green?" whined Sirius.

Hermione glared at him. His prejudice against all things Slytherin made him blind to some things.

James glared at him as well. That was the color of Lily's eyes.

**Mr. H. Potter, **

**The Floor, **

**Hut-on-the-Rock,**

**The Sea. **

**He pulled out the letter and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall,**

**Deputy Headmistress**

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"**

"Wow! Out of everything he could have asked, he goes for that one," said James in exasperation.

"Well, it was the last thing he read," said Hermione.

Sirius and Remus nodded.

"It does make sense," pointed out Remus.

**"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl - a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl**

"Poor owl," whispered Hermione.

**- a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down:**

**Dear Professor Dumbledore,**

**Given Harry his letter.**

**Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.**

**Weather's horrible. Hope you're Well.**

**Hagrid**

"Right to the point." mused James.

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone. Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.**

**"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.**

"Hasn't he learned?" said James, "You don't stand up to a half-giant. You only go up to their waist!"

"Yeah!" said Sirius, "wait – what?"

"Never mind." mumbled James.

**"He's not going," he said.**

"Yes he is!" said James sternly.

**Hagrid grunted.**

**"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said.**

James and Sirius started cheering, but Remus just kept reading raising his voice only slightly. They had to quickly shut up to hear.

**"A what?" said Harry, interested.**

"**A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."**

_He should have come to live with me_, thought Sirius ashamed that he was nowhere to be found.

**"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"**

"Stupid Dursley," snorted James, "It doesn't work that way."

**"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a - a wizard?"**

**"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that-that school-and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was - a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!" She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed**

**she had been wanting to say all this for years. "Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as - as - abnormal - and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"**

"Woah!" said Sirius with eyebrows raised.

"Poor Lily," said James.

"Really. All you can think about is Lily," said Sirius with a streak of humor in his voice.

"Yup," said James, smirking.

**Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"**

"CAR CRASH!" roared James.

"Cool it, Prongs," said Remus, once again being the voice of reason. He smirked to himself as he looked at the next line and continued reading.

**"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid,**

James looked like a deer caught in the headlights._ (no pun intended)_

Hermione and Sirius glanced at the boy. Then at each other. Then roared with laughter. Remus chuckled silently to himself.

**jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not known' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!" **

"That's cool!" said Sirius.

"Jealous much," retorted James smugly.

**"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.**

"Poor Harry," said Hermione with a sad smile.

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.**

**"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh - but someone's gotta - yeh can't go off ter**

**Hogwarts not knowin'."**

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.**

"They deserve more than a dirty look," said James darkly.

**"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh - mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it..." He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with - with a person called - but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows -"**

**"Who? "**

**"Well - I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."**

"I don't mind," said James.

He looked at Sirius. They suddenly broke into song. The only words happened to be "Moldy Voldy".

Remus sighed. "You need to stop singing that. You already have Peeves in the habit and a lot of kids and teachers, mind you, are terrified of the name."

_Hmm_, thought Hermione, _that's where Peeves got it. Figures._

"Whatever," said Sirius laughing.

**"Why not?"**

**"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was..."**

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.**

**"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.**

**"Nah -can't spell it. All right - Voldemort. " **

"Wow," started Sirius, "He actually got Hagrid to say it."

Hermione thought to herself. _He does have that affect on people._

**Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this - this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too - some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was getting' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him – an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway. Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! **

"That's right!" said James proudly.

**Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.**

"That's right too!" said James while everyone else laughed.

**Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' - an' –"**

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.**

"Good to know he cared," said James fondly. He really did like the gentle giant even though his cooking was less than satisfactory.

**"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad - knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find – anyway..."**

A feeling of helplessness and sadness poured into the room as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water on everyone.

**"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then - an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing - he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a Powerful, evil curse touches yeh - took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even - but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age - the McKinnons, the Bones, the**

**Prewetts - **

At every name the Marauders paled a little more. They knew these people. Some were even in their year.

**an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."**

"I do wonder how that happened," said Remus with a look of deep concentration on his face.

James looked over at him. He was also contemplating that same problem. Apparently so was Sirius who had a concerned look on his face as he stared into the floor.

Hermione sat there, watching them and the silence that ensued was unnerving. She knew how and why it happened. She could tell James was dying to know and that he was going to soon. However, she wanted to tell him now. She opened her mouth to speak, but found that she couldn't speak. She just couldn't do it. She had grown close to the men, no boys, in front of her. She didn't want to hurt them. She couldn't. And that was why she was so terrified. She hadn't felt this way for anyone, but Ron and Harry and now she was attached to people who were not in her time. She closed her mouth and told Remus to keep reading.

**Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before - and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel**

**laugh.**

James' face hardened and paled even more. Sirius looked at the book in disgust. Remus looked as if the wolf inside might take over, for the rage on his face was not mistakable. Hermione whimpered. She knew Harry had had horrible visions, but she had never truly understood the horror.

**Hagrid was watching him sadly.**

**"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot..."**

**"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. **

"I wish they weren't," muttered Sirius.

**Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.**

**"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured - and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion – asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types – just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end –"**

"Hey," shouted James as he stood up in anger, "That is uncalled for you . . ."

No one heard what came next as Remus had wisely silenced his friend.

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley -I'm warning you - one more word... "**

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.**

"Yeah, that's where he belongs," growled Sirius.

**"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.**

**Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

**"But what happened to Vol-, sorry - I mean, You-Know-Who?"**

"Fear of a name only increases fear for the thing itself," chorused everyone in the room.

**"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see...he was gettin' more an' more powerful - why'd he go? Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough**

**human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don~ reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on - I dunno**

**what it was, no one does - but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."**

Everyone in the room, except for Hermione, looked curious and scared all at the same time.

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football?**

"Too bad it doesn't work that way," said Sirius thoroughly bummed.

**"Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."**

"You are, son," said James. He looked like he was about to cry. Hermione had succumbed to tears as she looked at the boy in front of her. He was filled with so much love for the son he had never meant. She desperately wished Harry could be there, but for once the room didn't yield.

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.**

**"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?"**

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it... every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry... chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach... dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back... and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him? Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.**

**"See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard - you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

"Lucky butt," mumbled Sirius pouting.

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.**

**"Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish - spell books and wands and -"**

"Awww, remember our days of shopping for 'all sorts of rubbish'," said Sirius looking off into some unknown memory.

"How could we ever forget," said Remus.

"You have to tell me later," commanded Hermione, "but, for now, keep reading."

**"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter' s son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled-"**

**"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM ****MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.**

"Great!" said Sirius excitedly. "He actually insulted Dumbledore in front of Hagrid." He settled down ready for an exciting passage.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, **

**"NEVER," he thundered, "INSULT- ALBUS- DUMBLEDORE-IN- FRONT- OF- ME!"**

**He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley - there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.**

"Bloody Brilliant!" said James while Sirius fell off the couch laughing. Remus too was laughing.

Even Hermione couldn't suppress a smile and a few giggles.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them. Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.**

**"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

"Remind me to do something very nice to Hagrid later!" said James, face red from laughing.

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.**

**"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm - er - not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff - one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job**

**"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry.**

**"Oh, well - I was at Hogwarts meself but I - er - got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore." **

**"Why were you expelled?"**

"That's a bit personal," said Hermione, even though she knew how he got expelled.

"He won't answer," said Sirius, "He never does."

"Of course, you tried to find out, didn't you?"

"Yup!"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

**"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. **

"See, doesn't answer," said Sirius

**"Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that." He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.**

**"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

"That's the end," said Remus.

"Thank goodness," moaned Sirius, "I'm hungry."

"You just ate a whole platter of food," said Hermione appalled that he was still hungry.

"Can we please go. . ." started Sirius, but he was cut off by a loud growl. "It seems your stomach agrees," he said with a sly smile.

"Fine," huffed Hermione. Then giving a shy smile, she said, "Let's go."

"Yes!" said Sirius. "To the kitchens!" He raised an imaginary sword and ran towards the door.

* * *

**Please Review!**


	7. Trust and Flashbacks

**Thanks to everyone who continues to read my story! I've been having some major writer's block lately so this chapter is basically just enough to bridge the gap to my next thought. Please Review and tell me what you think.**

* * *

"Yes!" said Sirius. "To the kitchens!" He raised an imaginary sword and ran towards the door.

"Ummm," said Hermione hesitantly, "actually I don't feel really good. I think I'll just stay here. Can you bring something back for me?"

"Are you sure?" asked Sirius, looking at her, eyes full of concern.

"Ya, I'm sure."

"Come on, Padfoot," said James pulling his friend out the door. Remus shut the door.

They walked in silence all the way to the kitchen.

When they arrived, house-elves immediately asked them what they wanted. But James waved them away.

"Prongs," started Sirius, "what . . ."

"We need to talk to you," said Remus, a look of fear crossed his face.

"Okay," said Sirius slowly, looking into the faces of his best friends.

* * *

Regulus Black woke up and stared at the emerald green curtains of his bed. Sighing, he pulled back the curtains and stood up. Two more days of winter break and then it would be back to playing pure-blood formalities. If he had to endure another one of Malfoy's formal balls, he just might die. He smiled at his pleasant dreams and thought back to the night before.

_*Flashback*_

_He sat in the common room, alone. Thinking over everything he had heard from Kreacher. He had said something about a lake and a potion that made you experience the worst memories of your life. What was the Dark Lord hiding? Why couldn't he figure it out?_

_Sighing he leaned forward only to hear a loud thump. The book he had coaxed Malfoy to get for him, __Magick Most Evile__, was lying open on the floor. Looking down at the page, he read:_

"_Of the Horcrux, wickedest of magical inventions, we shall not speak nor give direction."_

"_Bloody helpful," he sighed as he shut the book. It seemed, at the rate he was going, he would never crack the secret. He had gone almost all the way through this book and none of it seemed to fit. Lowering his head into his hands, he stared at the floor, frustration over taking all of his thoughts. _

_He sat there for who knows how long. He was the only one in Slytherin who had stayed , besides Severus Snape. However, Snape always had his head in a book, so Regulus didn't count him. Finally, too bored to stay in the common room; but not tired enough to go to sleep, he decided to head up to the Astronomy tower. He usually went up there when he couldn't sleep or he was frustrated or confused. It was his getaway. A place to escape to._

_He left the common room without a sound and made his way up to the tower. The night was clear and the stars were bright. He started walking to the edge, his mind still on the Dark Lord, when he spotted her. She was beautiful. He stopped and stared as she looked out over the lake, taking in a deep breath. Her wavy brown hair was blown by the wind. Her small form shivered in the cold. The moonlight bathed her skin perfectly._

_He didn't know what to do as she started crying. She closed her eyes as if deep in thought and started completely sobbing. Her pained whimpers were too much for him. When he saw her bring her hand up to wipe her eyes, he decided to make his presence known._

_"That's my spot you're in, you know."_

_She whipped her head around and looked at him. She seemed to take in everything about him. He walked over and stood next to her. He noticed that she tensed when he came nearer and the look of caution in her eye was evident._

_He drank in the view. The lake was silver in the light of the moon and the reflection of the castle was easily seen. Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath enjoying the cool refreshing breeze. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked over at the girl. She seemed even more beautiful up close and he vaguely wondered if he might be dreaming._

_"So, what brings you up here?" he asked, looking back out into the night sky._

_She looked like distant for awhile before she answered. "Thoughts."_

_He chuckled sadly. "Thoughts," he said, "They plague us all, don't they."_

_"Yeah, I guess," she replied slowly. She looked back out over the lake as if trying to block him out. He stood there not knowing what to do. She looked like she was uncomfortable and confused._

_"I'm Regulus, by the way," he said holding out his hand for her to shake._

_"Hermione," she said._

_"I haven't seen you before," he stated, "Are you knew?"_

_"Uh, yeah," she replied, "I have to go."_

_And with that, she left. He stared after her wandering who she really was and where she had come from. It was true he hadn't seen her before. Perhaps, he thought, she won't know my brother or the rumors he spreads._

_Smiling to himself, he returned to the common room and quickly fell asleep. He spent the whole night reliving the scene on the Astronomy tower._

* * *

"What do you mean you don't trust her?" whispered Sirius for the fifth time as they returned to the Room of Requirement loaded with food to last them for the rest of the day.

"I mean exactly that, Sirius, I don't trust her," said James impatiently.

"Sirius, face it," said Remus, "We don't know anything about her. We don't know where she came from or how she got here. Plus the fact that she won't leave the Room of Requirement. James and I just think we should bring her to Dumbledore before we continue reading the book, just to be safe."

"Fine," said Sirius, seeing no problem with the suggestion, but still angered that nobody would trust her. Angered that he didn't completely trust her.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please Review.**


	8. Regulus Black

**Hey! I hope you like this. I am sorry that the chapters have been short. I promise they will get longer. Thank you for the Reviews and continued support. It keeps me going.**

**On to the story!**

* * *

Hermione watched as the boys came back into the Room of Requirement loaded with food.

"Here you go." said Sirius tersely, tossing her a wrapped up sandwich.

"Thanks," said Hermione surprised by his tone.

She turned to James. "Is he okay?"

"Ya," said James, waving it away, "We need to talk to you."

"Okay," said Hermione, not entirely sure where this conversation was going.

"We need to know where you came from." he said strongly, determined to get an answer.

Hermione sighed. She knew that this was coming, but she had hoped the book would explain it first.

"I can't tell you," she said.

"You can't or you won't?" asked Remus, chiming in on the conversation.

"Can't . . . won't . . . I don't know."

"Well, since you won't tell us and I don't trust you," said James looking at her.

"Look," she said, cutting him off, "I know you have no reasons to trust me, but you have to. Soon you'll know everything."

"Why won't you tell us? If we are supposed to trust you, why can't you trust us?" said Sirius, speaking up for the first time.

"I don't know," she said truthfully, looking at each of the boys, "I just feel like I shouldn't tell you." It was true. She felt that telling them anything before the book did was somehow wrong.

"Why?" asked Sirius, a look of hurt on his face as he pleaded.

However, before Hermione could answer, a note fell from the sky. James grabbed it and cast one more suspicious glance at Hermione before he started reading.

_Dear Marauders and Miss Granger,_

_You will not continue reading until you go and collect Regulus Black. He will finish reading the books with you. Refuse and the consequences will be dire._

_Sincerely,_

_A Friend_

Sirius looked stunned and James and Remus approached him, very cautiously, as though he might explode at any minute. Hermione looked between the boys, her face paler than it had been a few seconds ago.

"Just go get him," said Sirius, between gritted teeth.

Remus nodded and immediately left to go find the younger Black. Sirius sat down and stared intently into the floor. He hadn't seen his brother since that night. The night he left home.

_*Flashback*_

_Sirius climbed out of bed, gasping as his bare feet hit the cold floor. Quickly grabbing his rucksack, which had been packed for weeks, he made his way to his brother's room._

_Entering, he walked over to his bed._

"_Reg, wake up," he said, shaking Regulus' shoulder._

"_What do you want, Sirius?" he moaned into his pillow._

"_Wake up!" Sirius whispered more harshly._

"_Fine," Regulus said, sitting up, "I'm up! Now, what do you want?"_

"_Come with me!" he said hopefully, with a smile on his face._

"_Sirius, what are you . . . oh Sirius," he said, seeing the rucksack and broom in his brother's hand. "You know I can't."_

"_You can!"_

"_Sirius, I have to stay here and appease mother. I have to uphold the Black family name!"_

_Sirius had a pained look on his face and then he turned cold. _

_"Then, you are not my brother," said Sirius, his voice soft and laced with hate._

_For a minute Regulus looked sad and rejected like an injured child, but then he became distant. His eyes narrowed and Sirius was a little frightened of the glare he was getting._

_"Go then," he spat. He turned away from the open door. His face shadowed by his hair which fell over his eyes. And with that Sirius shut the door. He left for Potter Mansion and he didn't give his brother a second thought._

_*End Flashback*_

* * *

Remus hurried out of the room, intent on finding Regulus fast. He knew if he wasn't quick, Sirius just might explode. The stories he had heard about Sirius family were not good, but Remus knew that Sirius cared about his younger brother. He knew Sirius wanted to protect him from his awful parents. He also knew, however, that Sirius had not talked to Regulus since he had moved in with James.

It didn't take long for Remus to find him. He was huddled in a window reading a book. He expertly immobilize him and hauled him up the stairs towards the Room before anyone could see.

* * *

Hermione watched as James tried to calm his friend, who had taken to staring stonily at the floor as if he wanted to burn a hole in it. After a few minutes, Sirius nodded and James turned to Hermione.

"I don't trust you," he started and Hermione nodded not saying anything, so he continued. "I want to bring you to the Headmaster before we continue reading. . ."

"No!" shouted Hermione abruptly and with sudden panic. This caused Sirius to look up and stare at her in alarm and James to fall over.

"Why? Dumbledore won't hurt you," said Sirius, amused at the witch's face.

"Yes, he will," she said strongly and the grin was wiped off Sirius' face. "He always does."

"You know him?" questioned James.

Hermione nodded. "I don't trust him."

"Why?" pushed Sirius.

Hermione sighed and then looked at them. "You'll find out soon," she said, looking down.

To say James and Sirius were confused would be the understatement of the year. Neither of them knew what to think of the strange witch in front of them.

* * *

Dumbledore watched silently as Remus Lupin struggled to carry Regulus Black up several flights of stairs. He didn't know whether to be amused or extremely concerned.

"Awww, what the hell?" he heard the young man mutter and then Regulus was lifted into the air by his ankles.

He followed the pair up several stairs before they reached the seventh floor corridor. Remus and the young Mr. Black walked into a door. As he went up to reach for the knob, it disappeared.

He smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. This had to be the Room of Requirement. He walked past it three times, thinking of the missing students and the door appeared.

* * *

"Here he is," said Remus as he stumbled into the room, carrying Regulus. As soon as Regulus could move again, he turned on his brother.

"What kind of a sick prank is this?" he snarled.

"Its not a prank," said Hermione. Regulus whirled around to face her, eyes widening as he realized where he had seen her before.

"Hi," she said timidly.

"Hi," he spat looking back at his brother with a cold stare. "Sirius, what the hell is this?"

Sirius softened at the sound of his name from his brother. However, before he could answer someone walked into the room. He looked over at the door and suprise overcame him. Standing in the doorway, was none other than Albus Dumbledore.

* * *

**Dun Dun Dun! Please Review! Tell me what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. I only need two more review to break 20. Yes, that's a milestone for me. Thank you again for reading!**


	9. Emma Watson

Hello again! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I am sorry for all the chapters where the characters aren't reading the books, but I feel it is necessary to develop the story. Without further ado, on to the Story!

* * *

Sirius softened at the sound of his name from his brother. However, before he could answer someone walked into the room. He looked over at the door and surprise overcame him. Standing in the doorway, was none other than Albus Dumbledore.

Regulus turned around as he saw his brother's eyes shift to something behind him. Noticing who it was, he decided now was one time that he would be happy down in the Slytherin common room.

"Professor . . . " said James, standing up and stating at the old man.

Remus turned around at James' words. Hermione's eyes flitted to the table where the book was. As soon as she looked, it disappeared. Trying hard not to smile, she made eye contact with James and tried to communicate to him that the book was gone. He got the message and Remus and Sirius, noticing his eye contact with Hermione, noticed as well. It was obvious to all of them that the sender of the book did not want Dumbledore to know about it. Hermione didn't blame them. Dumbledore had harmed more than he had helped while alive and in death. He had pushed Harry to do things that had cost lives and strained Harry to emotional breaking points. It wasn't fair. This man had pushed everything off onto a 17-year-old because he wasn't brave enough to face it himself.

"Good morning, boys," he said kindly and then continued laying his eyes on Hermione. "Would you introduce me to your friend?" He looked at Hermione who in turn smiled back very kindly, a trick she learned while facing paparazzi and ignorant ministry officials.

James opened his mouth to answer, clearly happy to have a chance to tell Dumbledore, but Hermione beat him to it.

"I'm Emma. Emma Watson," she said, using the first name that came to her mind. Emma was one of her muggle neighborhood friends. Dumbledore would not know that name. She smirked as she saw James look at her angrily.

"May I ask, Miss Watson, how you came to be here? I do not believe I have seen you before." He said this all with mild amusement. However, Hermione knew better. He would not rest until he knew exactly what was going on. Judging that it would not be smart to lie to the greatest Legillimens of all time, she told the truth . . . only leaving out a few things.

"I don't know how I got here. I can't remember anything before waking up in the middle of this room," she said and gestured to the room and boys, who each smiled mischievously in turn, even Regulus.

"Well," he said, his brows furrowed, "Would you mind coming to my office so we can work this out?"

"Oh, of course, Sir," she said. Standing up, she followed the Headmaster out of the room, not looking back. If she had, she would have seen the looks of puzzlement on those remaining.

The trio of Marauders were all caught up in their own theories as to why Hermione lied to Dumbledore. Why the book had disappeared and what would happen to Hermione. James was angry that Hermione had lied to Dumbledore, or had it been them she was lying to? He didn't like anything about her. There was something up and it made him uneasy.

Sirius stared at the spot Hermione had just left. He didn't know what to think about what had just happened. Why didn't Hermione trust Dumbledore? Was her name even Hermione? He wanted to be angry with her, but found that he couldn't. He loved her. She was the first person he had ever truly loved. Why did she have to be so mysterious?

Remus closed his eyes, thinking back on when Hermione had first arrived. A flash of white light. She had looked scared and shocked when she had seen them. What was it about them that made her scared? He didn't know, but he did know that she didn't seem scared anymore. Putting that aside, Regulus seemed to know her. How was that even possible? They hadn't seen her leave the Room of Requirement. He wanted so desperately to finish reading the book. He knew that was where he would find his answers. That was the only hope for answers he had left.

Someone behind them cleared their throat very loudly and the Marauders looked around startled. They had forgotten Regulus was there.

"Does someone want to explain what the hell is going on?" he asked, his voice soft and cold.

* * *

Hermione followed Dumbledore to his office, neither of them saying a word.

"Phoenix tears," he said softly and the gargoyle let aside letting him enter. Hermione followed him into the office. Slightly amused, she looked around to see that nothing had really changed since she had last been there. When she lost all trust in the man standing in front of her. When she had jumped into Snape's memories, only to be disgusted by what she saw. She knew that Dumbledore was trying to do the right thing, but he did it the wrong way.

Putting on a happy face, she shielded her thoughts. She felt the barriers go up instantly. After Harry started his occulemency lessons with Snape, she had taken an interest in the concept. Studying constantly, by the end of the War, she had it mastered.

"Now, Miss Watson, may I ask how you got here?" said Dumbledore more forcefully than before.

She feigned confusion. "I already told you, Sir. I don't know. I just remember waking up in the middle of the boys messing around."

He looked into Hermione's eyes. She could feel pushing in her mind. Instantly, she formulated a memory of flashing white light and then waking up in the Room of Requirement. She felt the outside presence leave and knew that Dumbledore was satisfied with what he had found.

"Well, Miss Watson," he began, "a case like this has never been seen before. We will try and find your parents to get you back home. Do you have any memories of them that could be helpful?"

"I'm sorry, Sir, I can't remember anything," she said as she scrunched up her face into pretended concentration.

"Well, continue to try to remember your past. Of course, these things cannot be forced. In the meantime, we will allow you to stay at Hogwarts. I am presuming that no one else truly knows about this . . . Including the young men you met in the Room of Requirement," at this he paused and looked at Hermione.

With her nod, he continued, "Then we shall put out the story that you are a transfer from Beaxbatons. If you remember anything, please feel free to come by my office." He looked at her to make sure she understood. When she nodded enthusiastically and smiled he continued.

"We will need to test you to see where your current education has been left off, that is, if I am correct in assuming that you are a witch."

"You are, Sir, she said, looking him in the eyes.

"Very well," he said, "at Hogwarts, we have a tradition where we sort the students into houses. Their house becomes like their family while at school. You must be sorted as well." With that he pulled the sorting hat of its shelf and walked over to Hermione.

"What is that, Sir?" asked Hermione feigning ignorance.

"This is the Sorting Hat. It will look into your mind to see which House you belong in." He promptly put it on her head and stepped back.

* * *

It had only taken the Marauders about ten minutes to describe the situation to Regulus. He stayed silent the whole time, and when they finished, he spoke.

"Do you really expect me to believe you?" he yelled. "How thick do you think I am?"

"Reg," started Sirius, sadly looking at his angered brother.

"No, I don't want hear it, _Sirius_," he spat.

He sat back and turned his head so that he wasn't facing any of the Marauders. The boys sat like this for about five minutes, all of them wondering what to do. However, they were startled when a loud thump echoed through to room. Regulus got up and went to the source, finding a book on the ground. One look at the title and he realized they hadn't been lying.

"Y-y-you weren't lying, he said, staring at the three other boys.

"No, we weren't, said James, taking the book from Regulus. When he opened it, a note fell out. Sighing, he started reading it.

_Dear Marauders and Mr. Black,_

_You may continue reading without Miss Granger for the time being._

_Sincerely,_

_A Friend_

"Alright," said Remus, "Let's do this."

* * *

Please Review! I wanted to thank **Jannafrancine** for being my 20th reviewer. I also want to thank everyone who has reviewed at all and got me to a place where I could have a 20th reviewer. Please tell me how this chapter was. I feel like I'm losing it. Also I would love your opinions on which house Hermione should be in. Whichever house has the most votes will most likely be the one she's in! So please tell me which house you want.


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